From BoiseBear@aol.com Sun Sep 11 21:02:35 1994
Reprinted from the "Boise Weekly,"
September 1-7, 1994
=================================================
Anti-Gay Table Rock Press Conference "Appalling"
By Michaell F. Hummel
Do you recall the textbook lessons that history
has a way of repeating itself? Proposition 1
(the ICA initiative), if voted into law by Idaho's
electorate, is hauntingly similar to laws passed by
our territorial legislature and congress over 100
years ago.
According to Hawley's History of Idaho, the state
legislature passed a law disfranchising all members
of the Mormon Church in 1887.
This and other anti-Mormon acts were ultimately
declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in
the 1920s and finally removed from the Idaho Statutes in
the 1980s.
As a fourth generation Boisean, I am appalled and offended
that 66 evangelical ministers would stoop so low as to use
the cross on Table Rock to conduct a political press
conference on Aug. 24 in support of Proposition 1.
The religious right is obsessed over an alleged "gay agenda,"
which has never been clearly defined or even identified
in Idaho. Their underlying fear appears to be the
legalization of same-sex marriage, and the possibility of
this happening in Idaho is slim to none.
Widely published scientific research and statistical
data indicate approximately one of every 10 people on this
planet is gay or lesbian, and that sexual preference is
genetically predetermined at conception. Consequently, one's
sexual preference is not a chosen or learned behavior.
These human beings are your family, friends, and neighbors
and in many cases you aren't aware of their sexual preference.
They are responsible, productive citizens who are mutually
consenting adults that conduct their private lives behind
closed doors. These people should not be singled out for
legalized discrimination any more than the early Mormon
settlers should have been.
The issue about "special rights" is a smoke screen. The real
issue is whether a special interest group can convince Idaho's
electorate to legislate morality and take away the civil
rights of a specific group of Idaho citizens.
The irrational fear, bigotry and ignorance promoted by the
ICA suggests they will not tolerate the fact that there are
many different lifestyles in today's world.
The ICA proponents mistakenly believe that by enacting an
unconstitutional initiative (the unconstitutionality will
be proven at state taxpayer expense), Idaho will be a better
place to live, The reality is that, as a consequence of the
ICA initiative making the ballot, the "No On 1 Coalition"
is challenged to form a short term ad hoc finance committee
of prominent citizens to help raise $250,000 to defeat this
discriminatory and unneeded initiative.
Idaho is too special a place to be known for condoning any
type of intolerance, bigotry and discrimination based on
race, color, ethnicity, creed, religious beliefs or sexual
preference.
Michael F Hummel who lives in Boise, says that be bas a
brother who is gay and that his father is a member of the
No On I finance committee.
====================================
Submitted by BoiseBear@aol.com
====================================